Hyogo Governor Told Deputy to Identify Whistleblower

Kobe, Sept. 6 (Jiji Press)--Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito told his deputy to identify the whistleblower who revealed the governor's alleged inappropriate behavior, including harassment of prefectural government workers, it was learned Friday.

Yasutaka Katayama, who resigned in late July as deputy governor of the western Japan prefecture, said he had been told to conduct thorough probes into who prepared the whistleblowing disclosure document for what purpose.

Giving sworn testimony before a special investigation committee of the prefectural assembly, Katayama also said he was unaware that the official who accused Saito and died in July needed to be protected under the whistleblower protection law.

According to Katayama's testimony, he checked business emails of prefectural government staff after receiving the instruction of the investigations March 21. He identified the official who later died as the whistleblower and questioned him March 25.

In the questioning, Katayama told the official: "I have to investigate all officials whose names have been found (in the emails). Please remember that all suspected officials are still employed."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]